Celbridge Observatory

Celbridge Observatory is a private amateur observatory in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, notable for the asteroid discoveries and published research that have come out of its modest dome.

About Celbridge Observatory

Run by amateur astronomer Dave McDonald and registered with the Minor Planet Center under observatory code J65, Celbridge Observatory has produced results well beyond what its size might suggest: two asteroid discoveries, one eclipsing binary star, and two published papers on asteroid rotation periods based on observations made from the site.

Telescopes & research

The observatory's work centres on solar system science — tracking minor planets and measuring how they spin — placing Celbridge among a small number of Irish sites contributing directly to professional asteroid research and the Minor Planet Center's records.

Location & getting there

The observatory is located in Celbridge, County Kildare, in the Irish province of Leinster, within easy reach of Dublin.

Visiting Celbridge Observatory

As a private research observatory, Celbridge does not run public opening hours; anyone interested in its work is best off checking astronomy community channels or contacting the observatory directly before planning a visit.

See your named star from here

The same discipline that lets Celbridge's operator track fast-moving asteroids works just as well for pinpointing the fixed coordinates of a named star. See where your star sits among the sky's other objects in our catalogue.